Door-releasing system.



J. OARRIGAN. DOOR RELEASING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAY -29, 1913,

1 1 1 1 ,362, v Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J qorrgoln THE NORRIS PEYERS c0. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. c

J. OARRIGAN.

noon RELEASING SYSTEM. I APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1913. 1, 1 1 1,362 Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 witnesses J QG F F l THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. FHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D. c

I JQHNCARRIGAN, or SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

To all whom it may concern:

Be i known that I, JOHN CARRIeAN, a citizen of the United States, residlng at Seattle, in 'the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door- Releasing Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description 'of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same. 1

v This invention relates to door releasing mechanism'and more particularly to a system for automatically releasing doors'to allow the same to close in case of fire.

An object of the invention is to provide thermally controlled devices for automatically releasing the doors of a building, and

having electrical connection with each other, whereby all of the'other doors will be slmul taneously released and permitted to close upon actuation of one of the therma llycontrolled devices.

' Another ob ect is to provide an electrically controlled'system by means of which a compartment' of a building may be instantly cut off from communication with the other compartments when a fire starts within said compartment. p

A further object is to provide a system of the above stated character including, together with sounding and visible signals, an annunciator having drop shutters, each connected with a door, so that theattendant of the building may readily locate the, compartment within which the fire has started. A still further object is to providea system of the above stated character which may be installed within buildings of various types and which may includeall of the doors located on one floor, or, if desired, all of the doors of the building, to prevent a fire from spreading from one compartment to another or from one floor to the next.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view of the wiring system as arranged for two doors, each of the circuits being clearly shown. Fig. 2

represents a front elevation of one ofthe combined thermally and electrically controlled releasing devices operatively posi-. tioned upon a door and door frame.

Fig. 3

represents a section on the line 3-3 of Fig.

-1,1and Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary view of a wall, door, and hanger for the latter.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates an ID OOR-RELEASING- SYSTEM.

Speciflcationof Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 22, 1914- Application filed May 29, 1913. Serial No. 770,787.

ordinary eye bolt secured in one side of a wall in which a sliding door 2 is disposed,

and said eye bolt carries one of a pair of link members 33, having the adjacent ends thereof apertured to receive a fusible plug 4;, which is adapted to be'melted by fire to permit the links to fall apart, as will be underst'ood. The opposite ends of the links 3 are also apertured. The other link 3 is apertured to pivotally receive a. hook memmodate a cam wheel 6 rotatably mounted within a housing 7 suitably supported upon an insulating base '8, the latter being secured to the wallupon'the opposite side of the door 2. Adj acentthe periphery of the cam 'wheel 6 is formed a pair of oppositely directed lugs 9, over which the bent ends of the hook 5 are adapted to engage so as to hold the connected links 33 across the path of the door 2 and prevent the latter from closing. A spring 10 is secured at opposite ends to the base 8 and cam wheel 6 and normally tends to rotate the wheel in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 2, so as to disengage the lugs 9 from the bent end of the hook 5. The wheel 6 is normally prevented from rotating, however, by a flat armature 11 also pivoted to the base and normally engaged in the notch 12 in the edge of said wheel by gravity. Over the cam wheel 6 and upon the same axis as the latter is mounted a second cam wheel 13 of less diameter than the first wheel and having a shoulder 14 formed thereon, adapted for engagement against the extreme bent end of the hook 5 when the latter is positioned over the lugs 9, as indicated in Fig. 2. A spring 15 secured at opposite ends to the base 8 and Wheel 13'normally tends to rotate the latter in the directionof the arrow, but isof less tension than is required to "disengage the hook 5 from the lug 9.

Within the housing 7 above the armature 11, is a series of electrically connected electro-magnets 16 having the cores thereof so arranged as to attract the armature l1 and consequently release the cam wheel 6 when said magnets are energized. The magnets 16 are connected together and also connected With binding posts A and B secured to the base 8 by means of conductors C, D, forming part of a circuit to be hereinafter described. A spring armature 17 is disposed below the wheels 6 and 13 and is securely fixed to the. post 18. Located beneath the fber 5, having a central bifurcation to accom wheels 6 and 13 are two other magnets 19 and 20 which are also secured to'the base 8. The conductors E, F, G, H, of the magnets 19 and 20 are connectedwith binding posts I, J, K andL. Upon the opposite side of the magnets 19 and 20 from the post 18 is secured a second post 21, carrying an adjustable contact point 22, which is spaced from the spring armature 17 when the latter is in its normal position. The conductor E is connected directly to the spring armature 17 by a branch conductor M, and the con ductor H of the magnet 20 is connected to the contact point 22 by the branch conductor N, whereby when the spring armature 17 is depressed and contacted with the point 22, a circuit is closed acrossthe magnets 19 and 20, through the branch conductors M and N, spring armature 17 and contact point 22. a

A. signal board 24 is positioned in the basement or other place in the building habitated by the attendant or watchman, and carries a plurality of signaling devices to be hereinafter described.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the arrangement of the circuits and signals for two doors. is shown, however, it will be understood that in practice, one or any desired number of doors may be equipped with the releasing devices and similarly connected with the signaling device.

Referring to Fig. 1, wherein is shown the circuits connecting the releasing devices with the signaling device, the same letters and numerals of reference are employed as in Figs. 2 and 3. In said figure, the conductor C of the left-hand door releasing device X is connected directly with the negative pole of the battery 0 while the other conductor D is connected with one contact of a push button P, the other contact of the button being connected directly with the positive pole of the battery 0.

The conductor E of the magnet 19 is permanently connected with the negative pole of a second battery Q and the connection between the magnets 19 and 20 comprising the two conductors F and G is normally broken at R by a second push button or similar circuit closing device. The other conductor H of the magnet 20 connects with a suitable operating device S for the annunciator T, and by means of the conductor U is connected with the coil of an electromagnet V, the opposite end of said coilconnecting with the positive pole of the battery Q by the conductor W.

Branch conductors 100 from the conductor 60 D are arranged upon opposite sides of the push button P and terminate at the signal board 241. The end of one of the branch conductors 100 connects with a pivoted armature 101 which is normally supported 65 in operative position above the magnet V I the batteryQ, and the other conductor F by the spring 102,;andthe other branch conductor 100 terminate'sin a contact point 103 adapted to be engaged by the armature 101 whenthe' magnet V is energized to close the circuit across the push button P the series" of magnets 16. I

i Referring to the circuits Y for the controlling devices for the second door, the let and through 7Q Fters G and D indicate the conductors connected with the series of magnets 16.; The conductor C connects directly with the negative pole ofthe' battery 0. and the conductor Dconnects with one contact point of a push button 104, the other point thereof being connected with the conductor D of the first circuit X, which is connected with the positive pole of the battery 0, as above stated. The conductor E of the magnet 19 connects directly with thenegative pole of of-the magnet 19 connects with one'contact point of a push button 105, the other contact point of which is connected with the conductor G, constituting one of the conductors of the magnet 20. The other conductor H of the magnet 20 connects with a suitable operating device S ofan adequate register: ing signal T, and extends from said operating device to the conductor U, thus in eluding in the circuit of the second door releasing device, the magnetY. Upon the opposite side of the push button lOl from the battery 0, a branch conductor 106 of the conductor D extends to the board 24 and terminates in a contact point 107 positioned adjacent the contact point 103 and adapted to be engaged by the armature 101 when the latter is lowered. i

I prefer to employ the approved construction of fire doorillustrated.in Fig; 4;, which comprises a door 2 for a doorway 31, suspended by hangers 32 from an inclined track 33. It will be understood that normally the door is held open by'the device'herein described, and supported from the highest 110 end of'the inclined track 33 so that when released, the door and hangers will travel downwardly upon the inclined track 33 by gravity, and close the entrance to the compartment. I

Incase a fire starts in one of the compartments of a building equipped with my automatic door releasing devices, the operation of the latter would be as follows: The heat in the room increasing to a certain predetermined degree will melt the fusible plug 4, thus disconnecting the links 3-3 and permitting the door 2 to travel'downwardly upon the inclined track 33 to closed position. Simultaneously, the hook 5 is unseated from the lugs 9 by'the cam wheel 13 and shoulder 14 thereof. Duringthe rotation of the wheel 13, the cam thereon,engages the armature 11, raising the latter from the notch 12 and permitting the wheel which the 6 to rotate by the influence of the spring 10.

During the-rotation of the last mentioned.

and conductor N. Thus the circuit is completed through the conductors E and H, op-

erating the device S to expose the indicator T to notify the attendant of theroom in fire has started, through the device S, the current passes through the conductor U, electro-magnet V and conductor W.

When the magnet V is energized, the armature 101 thereof is attracted and drawn against the contact points 103 and 107, thus completing the circuit from the battery 0 through the conductor G of the second door releasing device Y, through the magnets16, conductor D, branch conductor 106, contact 107, armaturelOl, conductor 100, and conductor D to the battery 0, closing the circuit through the magnets 16, consequently energizing the latter and raises the" armature 11 of the second door releasing device Y. The cam wheel 6 of this releasing device is now free to rotate under the influence of the spring '10, the tension of which is sufficient to withdraw the lugs 9 from engagement with the hook 5 and per mit said hook together with the links 3 to drop from the path of the door 2 which is now free to close.

In order that thesystem may be tested from time to time to determine the condition of the batteries, or for any other reason, eithervof the push buttons R or 105 may be operated to close the circuits through the magnets 19 and 20 of either of'the door releasing devices X'or Y. If the batteries are in proper condition the magnets 19 and 20 of any one of the releasing devices in the system will be energized and the spring armature l7 consequently drawn downwardly against the contact point 22, and

operating the device S to indicate the room or compartment inwhich the circuit has been closed.

If it is desired to close all of the .doors in the building simultaneously before the fire has reached one of the fusible plugs 1,

the armature 101 is manually depressed to continuing close the circuit through the magnets 16 of each door releasing device in the system.

What I claim is 1. Ina system of the class described, a plurality .of doors, fusible means for holding each door in open position, normally locked means for securing said door holding means, mechanical means operable to release said securing means when the fusible connection between the parts of the fusible door holding means is destroyed, a source of electro-motive force, a normally open circuit supplied thereby, electro-magnetic means in said circuit for releasing said securing means to permit the latter to disengage from the door holding means and allow said doors to close, a circuit breaker in said circuit and means actuating said circuit breaker to close said circuit when said securing means is released by said mechanical releasing means.

2. In a system of the classdescribed, a plurality of doors, fusible means for holding each door in open position, securing means for said door holding means, means tending to move said securing means out of operative relation with said door holding means, a source of electro-motive force, a normally open circuit supplied thereby, electro-magnets in said circuit, pivoted armatures associated with said magnets normally locking said securing means in operative position, mechanical means tending to disengage said armatures from said securing means and normally secured against operation by said holding means, a circuit breaker in said circuit, means for actuating said cir cuit breaker to close said circuit when the fusible connection between the parts of said door holding means of any one or more of said door or doors is or are destroyed and thereby energize the electromagnets and actuate the armatures associated therewith to permit the securing means to be moved from operative relation with the holding means and allow the doors to close.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CARRIGAN.

Witnesses:

VERN MOLINE, JOHN S. Roenns.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. 0. 

